Our mission is to make hotel travel possible for all, and that becomes especially important during times of uncertainty. We’re also proud to offer the most generous loyalty program in the hotel industry, rewarding millions of members for their loyalty to our 20 “by Wyndham” brands.
In 2020, due to rapidly evolving circumstances, it was critical to ensure our members felt peace of mind when it came to their Wyndham Rewards points & status. We knew we had the power to make a positive impact on millions of members by easing any worry about disruption to their travel plans in 2020. We wanted them to rest assured and know their membership with us would remain intact during this unprecedented time.
It is important to us that we are communicating with members frequently and with pertinent, timely, and relevant information to alleviate any member concern and allow for more time to use rewards points and enjoy member status. We also focused on building trust and confidence with our members through elevated health and safety protocols.
In 2020, we enhanced our loyalty program policies for our Wyndham Rewards members. First, we paused the expiration of Wyndham Rewards points for all members globally through the end of 2020. Second, we extended current Wyndham Rewards Member Levels (status) that was earned in 2019 for all members globally through the end of 2021. Lastly, we relaxed Member Level earning requirements to give members an opportunity to earn status for 40% fewer nights stayed (unlock member levels faster) and keep that status through the end of 2021. Additionally, for both non-members and members, we relaxed our cancellation policies for booking flexibility.
In addition to policy changes, we offered all essential workers & first responders (#everydayheroes) an instant complimentary GOLD membership and a 15% discount at participating hotels by Wyndham. This offer was available to new and existing members. We were humbled to honor such a deserving group of individuals. Whether it be to visit loved ones, friends, or simply to get away—we wanted their future travel to be as special as it deserved to be.
And above all, the safety of our guests and team members around the world was a top priority. In parallel to these changes, in the U.S. and Canada we launched our “Count on Us” initiative to build confidence among Guests and support franchisees. This program was developed to further elevate health and safety protocols in the wake of COVID-19, shore up critical supplies for our franchisees and introduce new standards, training and guidelines grounded in guidance from the CDC. In addition, we expanded our partnership with Ecolab to require consistent use of EPA registered disinfectants in hotel guestrooms and public spaces.
Through our #everydayheroes campaign, we successfully engaged our target audience. 40% were new members, and of the existing members, nearly 20% had enrolled prior to 2019 – making this campaign successful in both enrolling new members and activating existing members. We also saw 27% of claimants go on to complete a stay using their 15% discount during the campaign.
Through our Unlock Member Levels Faster campaign, we increased the number of members in all status levels, giving them more benefits and improving their experiences during future stays. Month over month, we saw a 20% increase in members achieving the next level. The number of members who earned a new level was higher than the assumed decline in member level earns with less travel in 2020. This means more members earning more points on future stays – keeping them more engaged with the program in the years to come.
The Wyndham Rewards program was recognized for working to make the lives of travelers easier during this time of uncertainty. “Wyndham has had an excellent response to the coronavirus outbreak — it was one of the first to offer an elite status extension, and has even offered free elite status to essential workers. We’re happy to see that the hotel group has continued its response, even as we see signs of recovery in many locations around the world.” https://thepointsguy.com/news/wyndham-elite-status-requirements-cut/
